Commissioner Gordon Archives - Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources

On my superhero fashion site Project: Rooftop, I’ve been talking up to the nth degree an amazing set of superhero redesigns by Italian artist Denis Medri. This artist has taken Gotham’s resident bad-boy billionaire and recast him as a 1950s greaser to amazing results. While Medri’s work might not be in line with the New 52, it harkens back to the best of DC Comics’ celebrated Elseworlds line of titles reimagining its heroes in different timelines and settings. Medri’s gone on to reinvent much of Batman’s cast in this model, with everything from a Betty Page-esque Catwoman and a poodle skirt-wearing Harley Quinn to a Rat Fink-worthy hot rod Batmobile.

Although the actual chances that DC would somehow accept this as a back-door pitch are slim to none, it does highlight the intriguing passion artists have for classic characters and just how enamored fans can be when their favorite heroes (and villains) are repositioned to alternative lives. While some might say its insular thinking, I think it broadens the core concepts of these timeless characters and shows just how versatile they can be.

Emmy nominee Steve Buscemi has played a corrupt politician on Boardwalk Empire, a small-time crook in Fargo, a naive bowler in The Big Lebowski, and an offbeat private investigator on 30 Rock. Now add to that Gotham City police commissioner.

Hosting Saturday Night Live over the weekend, Buscemi starred as James Gordon opposite Andy Samberg’s Batman in a digital short about a lurky Caped Crusader with serious boundary issues. Check out the video, complete with a cameo by Aquaman, below.

Scott Snyder, who writes the awesome Vertigo title American Vampire, is set to make his debut on Detective Comics next week. Over on DC’s the Source blog, he talks about his upcoming run on the book with artist Jock.

“On the surface, the run will constitute a kind of back-to-basics approach, with Dick Grayson, as the newly anointed Batman of Gotham, solving brutal crimes around the city with new, high-tech CSI toys,” Snyder said. “But the run will also be about the dark and mysterious relationship the city has with Bat. Because for Bruce, Gotham has produced the Joker, Two-Face and all the great villains we know and love as dark and twisted reflections of Bruce himself. And now, with Dick in the cowl, the city seems to be changing, becoming meaner, more vicious. Which makes him wonder – what if being Batman in Gotham means having to face your worst childhood fears come to life, in the flesh? What if Gotham is like a black funhouse mirror to whoever wears the cowl?”

DC Comics announced on Friday that Scott Snyder, who takes over the writing chores on Detective Comics in November, is also writing a back-up feature for the book starring Commissioner Gordon. Snyder will be joined by artist Francesco Francavilla on the feature.

“I’m a huge fan of Francesco’s work and have been for quite some time,” Snyder told DC’s The Source blog. “His style is dark and daring with a good amount of noir to it, but there’s also a striking physicality to his art – his characters always look very real, very vulnerable and human. Which is why I always thought he’d be perfect for the job; because this story is dark and dramatic with some big revelations, but it’s also about Jim Gordon, the man, coming to terms with some very tough skeletons from his past… Or rather, one skeleton in particular – someone who has just now returned to Gotham, too… So I simply could not be more excited about Francesco’s involvement. With Jock on feature, Francesco on back-up, this is exactly the team I’d hoped for! (Huge giant-penny-sized thanks to our editor Mike Marts for the creative freedom and support.) Can’t wait to see what you think of the book, DC Nation!”